Steel Irony
by Rionarayne
Summary: Severus Snape is trying to piece together the night Riona was murdered. He's a newly single father, and now, the Dark Lord is driving himself mad looking for a new escape, and he's using the person that Severus never thought capable... Please RR
1. Daze

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor am I J.K Rowling. I think they belong to Warner Bros. or something, but if not, don't sue me!  
  
Severus knew he had to leave. There was no way around it this time, no running to Dumbledore. He took the baby and gently set him in the crib. For two days now Severus Snape had been mourning the death of his wife, Riona. Not mourning, actually, he was still in somewhat of a daze. He couldn't remember the night before clearly, nor the night before that, and believe it or not, he wasn't actually sure that his wife was dead. Sooner or later, though, he would have to find out whether he wanted to or not.  
  
Severus was now a single dad, all alone. Obviously, he wouldn't be able to teach at Hogwarts anymore, he couldn't take the baby. Orion would be almost six months old when school started. "If Riona were here," he thought, "I wouldn't have to do this." He'd been thinking like this all day, you see. Once again, not mourning but dazed and confused.  
  
He met Riona two years ago at Hogwarts. She had taken over his Potions job and he was finally appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Apparently, Dumbledore had run out of options and saw no way out of giving Severus the job. He had, after all, applied for the position every year since he had started teaching. Riona, on the other hand, had very little teaching experience. Little was known about her childhood and personal life, but she was unmarried. She came out of a University and went straight to Hogwarts. What made her decide to teach at Hogwarts is unclear, and it's beside the point. Riona was very beautiful because of the veela blood that flowed through her veins, and she fancied herself attractive. That's what set her apart from the others. She was roughly the same height as Severus, with night- black hair and purple-green eyes. It was her eyes that Severus was drawn to at first. They were so magnetic and sparkled with something beyond explanation.  
  
They were an unusual couple; she rarely spoke unless spoken to and he barely said a word to her. Their wedding was secluded, but beautiful. She wore a white satin dress that hugged every curve of her perfect body. He wore a suit, the sleeves long enough to conceal the scar on his forearm. He always thought of her this way, when she looked so lovely, yet her eyes clung to a secret.  
  
Six months later after they married, Riona was pregnant. Severus hadn't taken it very well, and he had to leave the house for a few days. It was a whole new concept to him, fatherhood. He wanted more than anything not to fail, but somehow couldn't fully convince himself that he could raise a child. His only consolation was knowing that Riona would be there. He thought she would always be there. He wanted to be with her and if that meant having a baby with her, so be it! When he came back, half-drunk and very dingy from the streets, he had to beg to be taken in. Nine months later, she gave birth to a son, Orion. For those four months, life was good. There was no fighting in the Snape household, and it was usually quite peaceful.  
  
When Dumbledore started the Order of the Phoenix, both Severus and Riona knew that it was going to be risky to join, especially with their son. After the incident with Voldemort and the Department of Mysteries, they were on always edge. Since Severus bore the Dark Mark, he was summoned almost every night, and the Crucio was used almost religiously on him. Riona did all she could to protect their son, but couldn't hold up forever. She was taken prisoner after Severus' involvement with the Order was revealed, and, much to Severus' dismay, she was raped.  
  
Severus shuddered to think of Riona's death. In fact, when asked about the night by Ministry officials, he had a seizure. That only made things worse. He was facing a possible trial, his wife was nowhere to be found, he was a newly single father, and he was out of a job. "Damned Dumbledore!" Severus shouted, so loud that it woke Orion. The baby let out a loud wail and Severus groaned as he strolled over to the crib again and picked the screaming baby up.  
  
"Hush now," he chided. He tried to think of what Riona did, Orion hadn't cried this much since well... ever. A lone tear rolled down Severus' cheek. As quickly as it had appeared, Severus slapped it away. Men don't cry. At least not him. This made no difference to Orion, however. He screamed on, deafening Severus to the point that his ears popped. He walked over to the dresser and picked up a photo of Riona at St. Mungo's holding baby Orion, who was just ten minutes old at the time. The sight of his mother's face seemed to quiet Orion down a bit. "There now," Severus soothed, "she's here. She's right here." 


	2. Let Go

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor am I J.K Rowling. I think they belong to Warner Bros. or something, but if not, don't sue me!  
  
Author's Note: The story contains spoilers from the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
The following morning, Severus awoke and immediately shuffled down the hallway to check on Orion. The boy was lying awake in his crib, smiling at the stars on his enchanted ceiling. Severus picked him up, washed him, changed him and gave him a quick bottle before setting him back in his crib. He then slumped off to his bedroom to get dressed. It took him all of three seconds to get curious and open Riona's drawers. There weren't many unusual things; clothes, some makeup, jewelry, and a few photos. However, all of her money was gone and her apparation license was missing. Upon further investigation, he found that she had a secret compartment. He very cautiously opened it and took out a long, black box. He tried to pry the box open with his fingers, but soon discovered that it was locked.  
  
"Alohamora," he commanded. The box clicked and opened itself, revealing a long, narrow dagger. It startled Severus so much that he made a quick, shrill noise and dropped the dagger on the floor. The razor's edge nicked his toe and a few drops of blood trickled onto the rug. After regaining his composure, he carefully picked up the knife and held it in both hands. He ran his fingers along the cool metal. A tight, tingling sensation flowed through Severus' body. Just as he was placing the dagger back in the box, he noticed a blood soaked cloth and a few gauze pads under the dagger hold.  
  
"No... she couldn't have been... cutting..." Severus reasoned with himself. "She wouldn't do it, not to us.. then why the hell is it still here?" The crying of a baby brought Severus back to reality.  
  
Severus ran down to Orion's room, picked him up, and paced back and forth across the room a few times before Orion finally settled down. Severus had a big day ahead of him.. The Order needed him for something, so he and the baby were going to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. Holding the baby tight, he grabbed a handful of floo powder and shouted the destination. In a flash of green fire, they were now standing in the portrait hallway of the Black family mansion.  
  
"Filthy fucking scum!" the portrait of Mrs. Black shrieked. "Bastards of hell!"  
  
"Lovely seeing you as well, ma'am," Severus said cynically, rolling his eyes. "Stupid bitch," he muttered. The shrieking woke the baby and then the other portraits started in as well. "Bloody Christ!" Severus thought, "This is a nightmare!"  
  
"Severus!" Dumbledore shouted, "Severus, how are you?"  
  
That was perhaps the most asinine question to ask at that point. What Severus wanted to say was "Hell, Albus, I'm great. My spouse is missing, I'm out of a job (thanks to you), and I'm holding a screaming child in a hallway full of screaming fucking pictures! I've never felt better!" Instead though, "Fine." was his reply.  
  
"Severus, is that you?" Molly Weasley called. "Oh dear, I thought I heard you come in. Things have been awfully chaotic around here and I haven't had any time to clean. I apologize for the mess.. and the pictures," she said, giving a reproachful look to Mrs. Black in particular. "Eh.. won't you sit down?"  
  
Severus accepted gratefully and manages to shout "Thank you" over the baby and the pictures. The group then adjourned to the living room and sat down. "Here, Severus, why don't I take the little one and get him freshened up." Severus handed Orion off to Molly and she headed upstairs.  
  
"Now, Severus," Albus said, "let's talk about the real reason that you're here today." He paused as if deep in concentration. Severus looked troubled and had a nervous expression on his face. He also had the impression that Dumbledore was trying to read his thoughts. "Severus, I know how hard this must be on you both," he started, " but I must beg you to please, please remain professional about your mission here."  
  
Severus nodded and was able to say through clenched teeth, "I have always done what is asked of me." He was livid. He didn't know why exactly. Dumbledore seemed to be implying that Severus was letting his grief get the better of him, which it certainly was not. Severus had learned long ago not to mix his personal problems with his task performance. The tension in the room was palpable.  
  
At long last, Albus said, "I need to make something perfectly clear. Your efforts and contributions to the Order have been most helpful and I'm aware of the sacrifices that you've made. You and Riona both. However, I feel that you've been distracted. Not just by recent events either. You need to focus on your son now. Your responsibilities lie with him. You, Severus, are all that he has left in the world." He added, "Stay here was long as you have to. Get some rest. And please, don't take this personally."  
  
Severus was now trembling with rage. "Alright, Headmaster. Now I need to make something clear. I don't need you," he stammered, "or anyone else telling me how to live my life, and what to do with my boy! I have been nothing but loyal to you for fifteen years! For those long fifteen years, I have kissed your ass almost every day, I have bent over backwards for you! And this is how you repay me. I lose my job, and now this. Fuck you!"  
  
With that, he ran upstairs to get Orion. "Molly!" he shouted, "we're leaving! Where is Orion?"  
  
"Severus, he just laid down to sleep, why the hurry?"  
  
"Well Molly," he snarled smoothly, "some of the others don't think I can do it anymore. They don't think I can raise my son. So, quite honestly, I see no reason to remain here." He snatched the sleeping baby from the crib and bade Mrs. Weasley "Good day."  
  
* * *  
  
A dark haired woman snickered evilly from behind a crystal ball. "Fools!" she cried, "They have no idea.." 


	3. Rocky Start

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor am I J.K Rowling. I think they belong to Warner Bros. or something, but if not, don't sue me!  
  
Author's Note: The story contains spoilers from the Order of the Phoenix.  
  
There wasn't mush else to do. Severus gingerly laid the baby down in his crib and then slammed the door to his bedroom. "Fuck!" he screamed. He really was fucked this time. He had just written off the only man who would do anything for him, so he really wasn't left with many options now. After sitting with his head between his knees for a while, he went downstairs. Orion was still asleep, so he knew he had at least an hour of 'alone' time. He pulled up a chair to the kitchen table and grabbed a copy of the Daily Prophet. The headline read:  
  
DEATH EATERS REVEALED  
  
YOU - KNOW - WHO'S WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN  
  
"Shit, that's all I need now, more Ministry officials crawling up my ass," Severus sighed. He skimmed along through the newspaper, sipping his brandy until he got to the 'help wanted' section. Hogwarts was now looking for a new Potions and a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He saw that the salary had been raised 1,000 Galleons. "Nice touch." Severus said. There were a few jobs at shops, a few at restaurants, and finally, a Ministry job as an Auror. He stopped. What he hated the most, although not more than Dumbledore at the moment, were Ministry people. He sat staring at the ad for a few moments before clipping it and setting it aside. He highly doubted that the Ministry would give him a job now, but he needed the money. Plus, he was qualified. He had already undergone all of the Auror training before going to teach at Hogwarts. He fixed himself another cup of brandy and waited for Orion to wake up.  
  
* * * A dark haired woman watched anxiously as Lucius Malfoy strode up to the Dark Lord.  
  
"Lucius, I was expecting the orb yesterday. Where is it?"  
  
"I can assure you, my Lord, the orb is nearly here. I hope that my Lord will forgive me, my colleagues and I have had great difficulty procuring the orb for your excellency. Well, what with the Department of Mysteries, the Ministry security had been at a maximum-"  
  
"SILENCE! I will tolerate no more of this! You," the Dark Lord hissed to the dark haired woman, "Find me the orb, you have a month. I will not have any more wasted time! And as for you," he sneered, turning to Lucius, "you, my friend, will suffer. You will suffer for your failure! CRUCIO!"  
  
A stream of green light sprang from the tip of the Dark Lord's wand. A split second later, cries of excruciating pain filled the dimly lit room. Lucius writhed on the floor as though being dragged by a rabid Hippogriff. This continued for another minute until the Dark Lord ceased.  
  
"Go now," the Dark Lord commanded. Lucius struggled, but finally stood up. The woman offered a hand but Lucius batted it away. "You have one month." Both the woman and Lucius turned to leave. They were halfway out the door when an acidic voice called out, "Oh, by the way dearest, if you should fail to retrieve the orb, you can be certain that you will suffer the same fate as Mr. Malfoy. However, I can assure you, you won't be able to get up so quickly. Off with you now." Then they left  
  
* * *  
  
Orion had been awake for nearly ten minutes. He hadn't woken up with his usual screaming fit, in fact, he was quite happy. Severus presumed it was because he had moved Riona's picture into the crib. He changed the baby and then walked downstairs to the kitchen. As he fed Orion his bottle, he looked at his face. Orion had Riona's eyes and black hair, but Severus couldn't seem to identify any of the boy's features as his own. Of course, he couldn't get a good look at him because of the bottle. "I'm just tired," Severus told himself.  
  
When Orion was finished, Severus placed him on a blanket on the floor along with a few baby- type toys. He checked the cupboards and realized that he had absolutely nothing in the house besides formula and alcohol. Then he walked over to the filing cabinet and found that he had no cash.  
  
Very suddenly, an owl swooped in from the open window and dropped a wrinkled envelope on the table. Severus set Orion down and peeled open the letter. It was a letter from Gringott's saying that Riona owed 500 galleons for a set of designer robes. "Bloody Christ, this is just perfect," Severus groaned. 


	4. Shatter

Disclaimer:  
  
Severus and Orion were now in Diagon Alley. He had just spent almost an hour and a half trying to explain to the goblins at Gringott's that Riona was missing and that he didn't know that she owned any money.. etc, and that meant that he couldn't withdraw very much for food and such. Today was proving to be not much better than yesterday. Already, Orion needed to be fed. He was usually pretty well behaved, but he was biting all of the heads off of his baby chew toys.  
  
Severus didn't intend to stay out for very long, and since the Gringott's matter was cleared up temporarily, all he had to do was buy food. He glanced quickly at his list as he hurried down the baby food aisle of the grocery store. After shoving some cans of formula into the basket, he ran around the store to find some food for himself. On the way out the door, he stopped by the liquor department and bought more brandy. The latter was becoming a necessity.  
  
As he merged with the traffic of Diagon Alley once more, he looked around to try to find some familiar faces. There were surprisingly few students out today; he only managed to spot Crabbe and a handful of Hufflepuff first years. He turned down Knockturn Alley to have a look around and he ran into the Malfoys. Draco was looking through a shop window at some dark potions and Severus didn't even notice Lucius until he was tapped on the shoulder by a slender black cane. " 'Afternoon, Severus."  
  
"Hello, Lucuis," was Severus' stern reply.  
  
"Severus, it seems like you've been avoiding everyone lately," he said with a wink, as if to imply he was referring to the Death Eaters "I do hope everything is well."  
  
"Fine, Lucius. We're fine."  
  
"Oh, and there's Orion! Where's Riona?"  
  
That last question made Severus' blood boil. He knew perfectly well what happened to Riona. She was gone, and would most likely be gone forever.  
  
"She's missing, Lucius, I thought someone had informed you."  
  
"Oh, no. Troubling really. And I've absolutely no idea where she could be," Mr. Malfoy said almost sarcastically, with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
"Well, neither do I, Lucius, and I appreciate you concern but we really must be going," Severus said in an attempt to end the conversation. No such luck.  
  
"Why are you in such a hurry? What have you got to do that's more important?"  
  
"I have to take these things home and tend to my son. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm leaving," Severus said finally.  
  
He picked up the pace as he strode away from the Malfoys. Lucius was such an arrogant prick sometimes. What was he thinking, asking where Riona was? There couldn't possibly have been a single person working for the Order or the Dark Lord that didn't know she was missing. Come to think of it, he wasn't sure why Lucius was even on speaking terms with him. His involvement with the Order was betrayed, and Lucius couldn't stand to come close to anyone without at least knowing that the person was a Death Eater. Plus, Severus was about as poor as a Weasley now that he was jobless and in debt from various things. Perhaps he was just as confused as Severus was.  
  
As soon as Severus stepped in the door, he was greeted by a swarm of owls. They all pecked and squawked at him until he fumbled around in his coat pocket and paid them. Most of the deliveries were magazines, and there was the usual issue of the Daily Prophet. He would have to cancel some of the subscriptions if he wanted to save money. Not a single page in the Daily Prophet contained any information as to the whereabouts of Riona. It was mostly the same news as the day before. He glanced at the job openings and saw that the Ministry position was still open.  
  
He picked up the clipped article from yesterday and grabbed some parchment. He wrote out a decent resume and neatly folded it into an envelope. He stamped and addressed it before calling out for his owl. "Opecid!" he shouted softly so as to not disturb Orion. The small black owl swooped in and pinched the letter out of Severus' hand. "Well," he thought to himself, "that's at least taken care of."  
  
* * *  
  
The Dark Lord slashed the breasts of the dark haired woman. "Bitch!" he screamed," You're running out of time! And for that," he breathed in her ear, "I will make you squirm. You will suffer.." He reached for his wand and shouted an incantation. Instead of seeing the green light, the woman found herself naked.  
  
She saw what was coming and she cried, "NO!! FUCK YOU!! NO!!" the dark haired woman screamed bloody murder. She screamed and screamed until her throat was dry and her voice cracked. The Dark Lord thrust himself deeper and deeper, harder and harder until she thought she would die. He beat her face and cut her stomach. He, unlike many, saw none of her beauty. She was his slave. He laughed at her pain and smacked the tears from her eyes. When he was through, she was lying bloody and broken on the floor. She could barely make out the shapes and voices around her; everything was a blur. As she lie there, near death, she heard the slam of a door and knew she was alone.  
  
She was overcome with a wave of remorse. Remorse for everything she had done to people to get where she was. She had betrayed possibly the only people that loved her and killed everyone else that meant anything. Tears rolled down her cheeks, stinging the cuts. "This isn't over," she consoled herself. "It's not hopeless. Dammit, I'll fix this." She painfully rose after a few moments. She was very dizzy and still could barely see. She propped herself up on a wall and gently put her clothes on. After wrapping some cloth around her stomach, she took and handkerchief from her pocket to wipe the blood from her face. Quietly, she slipped out the door and found herself face to face with Lucius.  
  
* * * 


	5. Troubling Affair

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, nor am I J.K Rowling. I think they belong to Warner Bros. or something, but if not, don't sue me! I also don't own the London Underground, or anything like that. All "landmark-ish" places I used from the Order of the Pheonix.  
  
Thanks to everyone who reviewed! spazattack- This is the best Snape fic you've ever read?! Aww... I feel special. Linninfields- Thank you so much, I love getting reviews! Iris Devine- Heylo! Heh heh, you reviewed twice. ;-) CrazedAnimeFanGirl- When are you gonna learn, all my stories are dark! Lol. Love ya.  
  
Now, here's the chapter, finally.  
  
As Severus was eating breakfast and playing with Orion, Opecid rapped on the window. Severus cracked the window open just enough to let the owl slip through. He dropped the letter on the table before flutting upstairs to his cage. When Severus opened the letter, his heart nearly skipped a beat.  
  
The Ministry had responded to his job inquiry. They liked what they saw, all they needed now was an interview. He was to meet with Remus Lupin today and noon. That last bit sank his mood faster than a brick in the ocean. Remus Lupin. Why on god's green earth did he get Remus Lupin? Sure, the man hadn't ever done anything to offend him personally. In fact, he was very cordial to Severus in school. But he was part of that fucking Potter's crowd. Perfect Potter. Severus couldn't believe that after all these years, Potter, even in death, was still finding ways to torment him.  
  
There wasn't very much that he could do about that. Severus finally put an end to it by saying that it was only one interview, and if in the off chance he did get the job, he would make every possible attempt to avoid Lupin. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief as he set down the letter. Maybe things were about to get better.  
  
Severus glanced at the clock and realized that since he slept in late, it was already 10:30. "Shit!" he gasped, "I'm gonna be late!" He quickly force- fed Orion the last of his bottle and hauled him upstairs. He got Orion ready and then set him in his little playpen. Severus then rushed down the hall to get himself ready. He looked in the mirror and decided that he was not grungy enough to warrant taking a shower. Instead, he blasted some cold water in his face and then threw on the only decent looking thing that he had to wear. Riona was the one with all of the clothes, Severus never really cared. He was used to having little.  
  
After stumbling around the room, trying to put on his shoes, he grabbed Orion and ran back downstairs. He snatched some floo powder from the pouch by the fireplace and shouted, "The Underground!" A few minutes and a traumatizing amount of green fire later, Severus and baby Orion were standing right in the middle of the manager's office. Fortunately, the manager was out on break.  
  
They quietly made their exit and went up to the ticket counter. "I need a ticket to London," he snapped to a stoned looking guard. "Whoa.. okay, man, that'll be like.. uh, let's see here.." Severus stuck his free hand in his coat pocket and realized that he had no muggle money. "Curses! Eh, one moment please," he told the guard. He ran up to the nearest woman and asked her for a few pounds. She simply sniffed and walked away, nose upturned. "Hey, man!" the guard shouted. Severus approached the ticket counter again. The guard whispered, "I'm not supposed to do this, but I, like, forgot how much money you're supposed to pay, so here's a ticket. It's on me." He stuck out a fat hand with a crumpled ticket. "Just don't tell Bernie, the manager, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, sure kid," Severus replied. "Thank you." He looked at the time on the ticket and saw that the train left in two minutes. He ran all the way to the other end of the terminal just in time to be the last person to board. He stopped a moment to catch his breath and hand his ticket to the usher before taking a seat in the back. Orion was almost asleep; his eyelids looked droopy. Severus fell asleep himself until an abrupt halt sent his face smashing against the seat ahead of him.  
  
Severus stepped off the train and found himself in the middle of a crowded, dirty street. "Where's the phone booth?" Severus asked himself. He spotted it when he looked past a fat couple carrying trunks. He stepped into the booth and picked up the phone. There was no sound at all coming from the receiver, but that didn't scare Severus. He'd used the visitors entrance many times. He spun the dial around very quickly..6,2,4,4,2.  
  
When the voice on the other end answered, he shouted at her to hurry up. This apparently infuriated the machine, as the visitor badge came shooting out of the machine and slammed Severus hard in the stomach. He quickly pinned it to his robes. The now annoyed voice told him to give his wand to the people near the atrium, and have a nice day, etc. The phone booth started lowering itself, just like an elevator/lift.  
  
When the booth stopped, Severus ran past the atrium to the wand security area and went thought the whole search. Before the guard really had a chance to verify his wand, Severus dashed back to the Auror Headquarters. The clock on the wall opposite the cubicle read 11:54 AM. "G'day, mate. Remus'll be wit' ya' in sec," stated a deep Scottish voice. Severus took a seat in one of the tatty small chairs in front of a desk that bore the nametag, Remus Lupin- Auror, Ministry of Magic.  
  
At 12:01, Remus came in with a cheery smile on his face. "Why, Severus, hello! How have you been?"  
  
"Fine," was his reply. "You're late."  
  
"Ah, yes, well, there was a matter involving a homicidal suitcase that needed my immediate attention. The thing of it was--"  
  
"Just get on with it!" Severus barked.  
  
Lupin had to stop a minute and regain his composure before stuttering, "E- Eh, ah, why yes, we ought to."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Let's see," Remus muttered, rummaging through some paperwork. "Ah! Here it is, your résumé. Well, Severus, you are very qualified and have undergone all of the Ministry required training, so I see no reason not to hire you." He stopped to clear his throat, "However, I have to ask you some routine questions. For instance, why do you want to take this job?"  
  
"Because I need one."  
  
"Alright, suits me. You do realize that you may be called at all hours of the morning/noon/night and need to be prepared for action wherever you go?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Okay, well then, I eh.... don't have much else to say. Congratulations, Severus, you're our man."  
  
Severus couldn't stop himself from beaming and shaking Lupin's hand. As soon as Remus patted him on the back, however, he snapped out of it and went back to his normal self.  
  
"When do I start?"  
  
"Oh, yes, of course. Next week."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Good day, Severus, best of luck to you."  
  
With that, Severus clicked his tongue, turned on his heel, and left the headquarters.  
  
* * *  
  
"Wha- what the hell happened to you?" Lucius asked in shock.  
  
"Christ, Lucius, it was nothing. I just-I need to go now."  
  
"Riona, don't act like this, for god's sake. You're a fucking mess! Go to the mansion and tell Narcissa I'll be late here. You can stay there for a few days. Go."  
  
"Thank you, Lucius," Riona leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead. Lucius stroked her cheek and gave her a more passionate kiss. When they drew away, Riona winked and left the Department of Myths.  
  
* * * 


	6. Bloody Monday

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter of Severus Snape (or any of the HP characters for that matter) they belong to Warner Bros. Don't sue me.. you have been warned.  
  
Warning: This chapter contains mild/moderate violence and sex.  
  
The week following the interview passed by slowly, but went pretty well. Severus went out again to get some things for around the house and got some new chew toys for Orion, as all of the other ones' heads were missing. The following Thursday, he got a letter of apology from Gringott's saying that the bill had been sent to the wrong person and they were sorry for any inconvenience. Other than that, everything was fairly routine.  
  
This morning, Severus stepped outside to get the Daily Prophet from Opecid. The owl apparently couldn't figure out that the door was closed, so he was repeatedly slamming himself against it. Orion wasn't awake yet, so Severus was especially pissed at Opecid for making so much noise. After retrieving the newspaper, Severus settled himself back in his chair. This time the headline read:  
  
MYSTERIOUS ARTIFACT STOLEN  
  
He passed right by it, dismissing it as a worthless prank that would probably be resolved in a matter of days. He thumbed through a few more pages, and, seeing nothing worth reading, threw the paper into the fireplace. He almost fell asleep again before something terribly painful rattled his whole body. He ripped off one of his sleeves and saw that his Mark was pitch black. He was being summoned. The pain was so intense that he began to sweat profusely.  
  
He sat, braced against the wall, clutching his forearm. The pain still wouldn't stop. He crawled up the stairs and found his Death Eater's hood and threw it into the fire. "Go away," he murmured. "GO AWAY!" Yet his arm still throbbed. Without thinking, he ran to the kitchen to get a knife. He sank the blade right in the middle of the Mark. His blood flowed black, all the way down his arm. Still, nothing happened, so he plunged the knife even further into his flesh, this time the stream was stronger, like a current in a river.  
  
Uncontrollable tears of agony streamed down his cheeks as he sank the knife deeper. Blood was everywhere now; it looked as though a body had been dragged throughout the lower level of his house. The pain subsided, little by little, but the bleeding continued. He squeezed his arm as he quietly crept back upstairs. He threw open Riona's drawer and took out the box holding the dagger. He removed the gauze pads and put them on his own arm in an effort to stop the blood flow. Seeming satisfied, he wrapped some bandage tape around his arm and carefully put the box back. Now he understood why Riona had the dagger, and why she kept it hidden. He muttered incoherent words to himself as he paced slowly around the room.  
  
Feeling drowsy and slightly nauseous, he curled himself up on his bed and pulled the sheets over his head.  
  
* * *  
  
Riona cried as she saw what happened to Severus through her crystal ball. Suddenly, the reality sank in that she was all alone. She wouldn't have Severus to comfort her anymore, nor could she comfort him. She buried her face in her hands and cried everything away. It had been a week now since she came to the Malfoy mansion and she had totally healed from her attack. Well, physically, at least.  
  
She wiped her eyes and stood up to go do some more research. She was half- tempted to go to bed now, since she had a late night yesterday. She lost her train of thought, though, as she gazed at the mountain of books piled on it. Riona had checked out every book imaginable on magical orbs and so far hadn't found much on the Orb of Soul. The only decent description she found said that the Orb allowed the possessor to live after death; sort of like a ghost. However, they would only be in ghost form at night, any other time, they would have a human form.  
  
Riona actually didn't need to research the Orb; she already had it. She'd had it all along. Unbeknownst to the Dark Lord and every other Death Eater, Riona's very ancient grandfather was the one who had created it. On his deathbed, he placed a curse on the Orb, meaning that only one with his blood would be able to find it. After his passing, he had the Orb hidden away, not to be seen for another thousand years.  
  
When Riona's father finally found the Orb, he feared its powers and had it buried deep in the Ministry; the only place he thought is was safe. If only he could see what was happening now. The Orb itself was no more than the size of a large marble and was a deep purple with cloud- like shapes moving below the surface. It made Riona think of something, but she wasn't quite sure what. Either way, she still wasn't quite sure what it was, but she intended to find out before making and rash decisions.  
  
This was all fine, but Riona still had no idea how to use the Orb, and she suspected that no one else did either, except perhaps Dumbledore. Of course, there was no way in hell that she could go to him; he thought she was dead.  
  
A quiet tap on the door interrupted her thoughts. "Eh, come in." Lucius Malfoy carefully stepped in and shifted his eyes like he was looking for something.  
  
"Yes. . . . I was just wondering if you, er, needed anything."  
  
"No. No, thank you, I'm fine," she replied with a smile on the corners of her mouth.  
  
"Are you sure? I mean, that must have been quite an ordeal, back at the Ministry. . . . ."  
  
"Oh, yeah, I'm feeling much better now. Really."  
  
"Very well," he paused. He was only an inch from her face when he whispered, "There's just one more thing. . . . ." He wrapped his arm around her waist and softly kissed her. Riona made no sound. She wasn't quite sure how to feel, yet she surrendered herself. She surrendered just like she had every time. She forgot everything but the moment as he slowly undid her robes.  
  
As he slid the robes off her body, she took off his. Soon, they were lying in the dark between the silk sheets with heaps of clothes all around them. He twisted his fingers though her hair as she slowly kissed her way down his body. When he did the same for her, she tensed from anxiety, but he clasped his fingers around hers and she gently relaxed again.  
  
This wasn't their usual steamy sex. It was slow, and cool. He got a tingling sensation every time she touched him and she moaned quietly as he guided himself into her, deeper and deeper. He thrust over and over again until they came together. It was a dark bliss. The moon shining through the sheers on the window cast a blue glow on everything the light touched.  
  
When they were finished he held her and whispered quiet words to her. "I love you," he breathed. A cold tear rolled down her cheek as she thought, "I could never love you back."  
  
* * * 


	7. New Arrival

Disclaimer: I don't own and of the Harry Potter characters, nor am I J.K Rowling, I think they belong to Warner Bros. (Please don't sue me.)  
  
Severus woke up from his thick, hazy sleep feeling even drowsier than he had before. No matter how hard he tried, though, he couldn't go back to sleep. He glanced at the clock through the corner of his eye and saw that it was already 6:00 AM on the next day. Orion! He quickly sprang out of bed and sprinted down the hall to the baby's room. Orion was sniffling in his crib and he looked very disgruntled. Severus bent over the side of the crib to pick him up, which proved to be a mistake. The pain threatened to come back, so he withdrew his other arm and tried rather dangerously to pick Orion up with his other arm. (I really don't recommend this. . . be VERY careful when handling babies ;-)  
  
After several attempts, he finally managed to lift Orion out of the crib and flop him on the changing table. "I'm so sorry, Orion. . ." Severus apologized. Orion continued sniffling until he was changed and fed. Severus then put him back in the crib and sauntered off to his room. He haphazardly threw some clothes on and then retrieved Orion again.  
  
He immediately Apparated to the Ministry, (he'd gotten special permission, and since he was no longer a visitor anymore, he could apparate there whenever he felt like it) and dropped Orion off at the day-care center. Then he headed straight off to the Auror Headquarters. He sat down at his new desk and admired his own flashy nametag. It read: Severus Snape, Auror- Ministry of Magic. He was looking through his drawers at different odds and ends until Cornelius Fudge came in.  
  
" 'Ello, Severus," he greeted not so cheerfully.  
  
"Morning," he replied.  
  
"Now," Fudge started, "since this is your first day, I'd like to welcome you, and give you your first case." He handed Severus a rather thick stack of papers with a 'confidential' seal across the front of it. "You will be finding out more about the object that was taken from the Department of Myths last week. I trust, you've heard about it."  
  
Severus had to think for a moment before responding, "Yes. Yes, I read about it."  
  
"Very well." Fudge gave him a quick wink before heading towards the door. "Oh, and by the way, Severus, Remus is your supervisor. Anything you find should be reported to him."  
  
"Blast!" Severus said, clenching his fists. It took a moment or two for him to calm down and skim through the case file. The object missing was none other than the second half of the Orb of Soul. It'd been in a vault for longer than anyone could remember, and had been stolen sometime around midnight. There weren't any suspects, so the case was somewhat of a wild goose chase anyway. He slumped back in his chair and put his hands over his eyes. This was going to be interesting.  
  
* * *  
  
Riona carefully crept out of bed. Lucius was still fast asleep, snoring loud enough to rattle the bedposts. She took the Orb and tucked it in her pocket before heading outside. The night air was cool, and there was a thin fog covering the ground. She slipped her Invisibility Cloak around her body and made her way off the grounds.  
  
When she was a safe distance away, she apparated to the Ministry. She was almost past the front desk when the guard stopped her with a long cane. "Excuse me, ma'am, you have to check in."  
  
She was about ready to give him a knee in the groin before she caught herself and shyly responded, "Oh, of course. My mistake." She rolled her eyes and strode up to the desk.  
  
"Name?" the fat receptionist asked boringly.  
  
"Amelia Dohockney," a cold voice replied behind her. Riona spun around and looked straight into the eyes of Lucius Malfoy.  
  
"Oh. . . hello. . ." she said timidly.  
  
"Here's your pass, don't forget it next time," the fat woman huffed.  
  
"Lucius. . .you were asleep, I didn't want to wake you."  
  
"You think I wouldn't notice?" he sneered. "No matter. I have something to show you." He took her roughly by the hand and went to the Auror Headquarters. "Wait here," he grunted.  
  
She stuck her head around the corner of the cubicle and saw Severus Snape sitting in the desk. She went lightheaded and started shaking all over. "Snap out of it. . ." she told herself. "He can't work here, this is some mistake."  
  
"So, Severus, how is your first day?" Lucius inquired, making doubly sure that Riona heard.  
  
She didn't hear the reply. She was too busy bolting down the hallway, past the front desk, and out of the Ministry.  
  
* * * 


	8. Sudden Realizations

Disclaimer: I don't own Severus Snape, or anything related to Harry Potter. I do, however, own Riona and Orion. So don't steal them, and please don't sue me.  
  
This continues right where the last chapter left off. (At the Ministry)  
  
Severus accompanied Lucius outside the headquarters to meet this 'mystery woman' and saw no one. "Lucius, what the hell are you talking about?" he said as he glimpsed a woman running towards to phone booth. He noted that the woman looked familiar, but he couldn't really place her face (or the back of her head, really) to a name.  
  
Lucius smirked in disgust as he watched Riona run away. "Oh, it was nothing. I suppose she was busy today."  
  
"You might've mentioned that in my office and spared me the trouble." Severus cheeked.  
  
Lucius couldn't come up with a witty retort for that one so he simply stormed off to his own office. God, how she annoyed him sometimes.  
  
Severus sank into his chair once more and buried himself in the case file. There wasn't much there, but he didn't want to totally botch his first case. After a few more seconds he carelessly tossed it aside and stepped outside again. There was always so much to see in inside the Ministry. There were secretaries running around frantically trying to find lost papers and funny looking people coming in with complaints, and there were always of course, the officials who strode about like the owned the place.  
  
Today, however, it was pretty bare. There were only a few people that walked through the Atrium every few minutes and there was hardly anyone on his floor. He decided to go to the library. The Ministry library was totally different from what he'd been accustomed to at Hogwarts. There were many, many more books and there was no 'restricted' section or a Madame Pince to breathe down your neck.  
  
He grabbed a book on Mythical Orbs and started poring over the pages. It was going pretty well until he got to the sixth or seventh paragraph of the Orb of Soul. The Orb had been created by Romine Castasera, and his only living descendent was a young girl named Riona Castasera. That was Riona's maiden name. He checked the publishing date in the cover. Riona had been four years old when the book was printed. That meant that the author had to have known something about her. . . perhaps he still knew her. He quickly penned a letter to a Mr. Richard Fillagustus and dashed up to the owlrey.  
  
* * *  
  
Riona panted heavily when she got out into the streets again. "Damn!" she exclaimed at no one in particular. She took a seat on a rickety bench to catch her breath.  
  
"So," she thought, "he works there now. Well, I suppose that does complicate things a bit." She stopped as she remembered something. Cautiously, she slipped back into the phone booth and returned to the Ministry. When the guard stopped her this time, she gave him a jab in the groin and shoved her pass in his face before moving on. She slowed down once she neared the cubicles again. She stood on her toes to see over the tops. Remus was dozing at his desk and everyone else seemed to busy to notice anything.  
  
Silently, she slipped into the headquarters and into Severus' office. It was new; she could tell by the way everything smelled. She paced around, taking everything in. Then she sat down in his chair and put her feet up on his desk. Oh, how she would kill to do what he was doing right now. Her eyes fell on a picture he had on the corner of his desk. It was Orion, only he looked much older than she remembered. He was getting some more hair, and his teeth were starting to come in. She gently kissed the frame and set it back down.  
  
The next thing to catch her eye was the case file that was thrown on the floor. She could only have guessed what it would be about and chuckled when she saw that there were no suspects. "Ha, well of course not." Just then, she heard footsteps less than three feet from the door. She threw the Invisibility Cloak over her head and stood against the wall. Severus hustled in with a very disgruntled look on his face and was crazily throwing open drawers and slamming them again. "Bloody hell!" he cursed to himself.  
  
Riona looked down and saw that she was still carrying the case file under one arm and waited patiently for Severus to start looking on bookshelves before she shuffled over to the desk and placed it gently on the top. Severus turned around just as she withdrew her arm from view and breathed a sigh of relief as he picked up the case file once more and left again.  
  
Riona decided that there was nothing left for her to do in his office, so she decided to stroll about the Ministry in covert fashion. She circled the Atrium a few times and eavesdropped on a couple of conversations before she walked past the day care center. There he was. Orion. He was less than ten feet from the edge of the play area. He spied a toy on the floor and began crawling closer to Riona. When he reached the edge, she stuck a finger out of her cloak when no one was looking so she could tuck a few strands of hair behind his ear. He stopped and looked puzzled for a few seconds before he grabbed the toy and moved on. "I miss him so much," she sighed under her breath as she turned to leave once more.  
  
* * * 


	9. Smears

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, especially Severus Snape. I DO however, own Riona and Orion. (Don't take 'em)  
  
This chapter is a little short, but it's very important for what happens next. ;-)  
  
Severus was on edge for three days until he got a response from Richard Fillagustus. The response read:  
  
Mr. Severus Snape:  
  
I'm sorry to say that I know absolutely nothing more about Riona than it says in the book. I simply traced Romine's family tree and found her to be the only descendent. Again, I'm sorry I don't have any more information.  
  
Sincerely, R. Fillagustus  
  
Severus tore up the letter and threw it into the garbage can beside his desk. He laid his head in his hands and rubbed his temples for a few minutes before he picked up the photo of Orion. He was getting so much older; he was very advanced for his age. He could say quite a few words and could recognize certain sounds and was even learning to crawl pretty well. Severus' gaze shifted to the smear on the bottom of the frame. He tried to rub it off, but that resulted in an even bigger reddish smear. He soon realized that the smear was lipstick and that someone, a woman, had in fact been in his office. The lipstick smelled distinctly like roses. The smell was strangely familiar to him. There was only one person who would care enough to kiss Orion's picture. Riona was still alive. . . and in the Ministry, no less.  
  
Of course! It all fit now! The presence of eyes he felt on him all the time. . . they were her eyes. She'd been watching him through that damned Invisibility Cloak! How couldn't he have seen this? This kiss on the frame was hers. He'd been inches away from her just the other day! That's what Lucius was hinting around! He'd tried to tell Severus at Diagon Alley and then just the other day in his office. That face. . . she'd been the one running away. She'd been with Lucius this whole time; they were in on it together.  
  
But why? Severus had never mistreated her or Orion. In fact, he was the one that usually ended up nursing them back to health. Still, what could this be about? The Orb. As soon as he thought of it, he saw everything flash right before his eyes. Riona didn't really love him, she was only using him to get to the Orb. By having a connection with Severus, she'd be able to seduce Lucius and get him to tell her about the Orb. Of course Lucius would have known about the Orb, the Dark Lord had sent him to get it when Severus was still working for the Order.  
  
Why then, did he let Riona get it and not just turn it in himself? That would've got him tons of rewards from the Dark Lord. He loved her. That's why. He felt like his heart sank into his stomach and shattered into a million pieces. He hung his head as he walked towards the Department of Myths.  
  
* * *  
  
Riona ran through the puddles in the streets to get to the Ministry. She tore through the alleys and the masses of people huddles about here and there. Through all of this she had only one though on her mind: the answer to everything was in the Department of Myths.  
  
* * * 


	10. Apocalypse

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, especially Severus Snape. I DO however, own Riona and Orion. (Don't take 'em)  
  
Severus pressed awkwardly on the door so that it would open. This whole area was foreign to him; he'd never even heard about the Department of Myths until about a few weeks ago. He cautiously stepped inside and looked at everything. It was very dark and uninviting. The shadows on the walls appeared to move with the flickers of the dim torches and his feet sank ever so slightly in the dirt floor.  
  
The rest of the room wasn't much to look at. He certainly couldn't see anything mythical about it. There weren't any artifacts or objects of interest on pedestals or anything, so at first he thought that he was in the wrong room or something. That is until someone came around the corner.  
  
He drew his wand and instinctively pointed it to where the creature was. When it stepped further into the light, he was almost horrified to see Riona there. He tucked his wand back into his cloak and stood staring at her. Riona's face went as white as a sheet and she did the same. They sat there in perfect silence for a minute or so before Riona managed to muster a timid, "Hello, Severus."  
  
Severus just shook his head and blinked a few more times before replying, "Riona."  
  
Something seemed to go off inside Riona that made her nervousness go away. "So, what bring you here?"  
  
"I suppose I could ask the same of you," Severus said through clenched teeth. The shock and wonder he had upon seeing her quickly gave way to bitter resentment.  
  
"Severus, I just--- I don't know what to say about this," Riona started.  
  
"Were you ever going to say anything about it? When did you plan on coming back? Were you ever coming back?" he snarled.  
  
"Severus, just calm down," she started again.  
  
"Calm down? Riona, what the hell is this?! Am I supposed to just ignore it? Riona, I thought you were dead for the longest time. . . and now this. . ."  
  
Without warning, a single tear slid down Riona's cheek. "Severus, I just--- I-"  
  
Severus cut her off. The tear seemed to have struck a nerve with him, and he cooled down. "Riona," he said soothingly, "I know that you, eh, must have had your reasons, and this was probably somewhat scary for you, but--- "  
  
This time Riona cut him off. "Severus, Severus, Severus," she smirked coolly, "I didn't leave you because I was scared, I left because I simply didn't need you anymore."  
  
Severus had no idea how to respond to this and stood glaring at her for a few moments. "Riona," he paused, "even though you're not invisible anymore, I can still see right through you. I can see straight to your black, cold, bitch heart. You never loved me, and I accept that, but I at least thought that you would care enough about our son to---"  
  
"Wait, our son? You think that you're Orion's father? Severus, how fucking stupid can you be? He looks nothing like you! Look at his eyes, Severus, look at his eyes! They're Lucius'!"  
  
That was the last straw. He'd had enough of this. He drew his wand and fixed it upon Riona, but he wasn't quick enough. Someone behind him yelled "CRUCIO!"  
  
In an instant, Severus was overcome with a wave of pain. He could no longer feel his face because his arm felt like it was going to burst. He even couldn't hear himself scream, even when Severus made slits on his throat.  
  
"Severus!" Lucius smirked, "We meet again!"  
  
"Go. . . to. . .hell. . . Lucius!" was all Severus could get out.  
  
Riona did nothing as she watched Severus wriggle and twist on the floor. She felt nothing for him anymore. He was as good as dead to her.  
  
"Done, Severus?" Lucius sneered mirthfully. He stopped the spell and allowed Severus to regain partial composure before he sauntered over to Riona. "Hello, my dear. I hope this one was no trouble," he said with a cold glance towards Severus.  
  
In a split second, Severus had his wand at Lucius and yelled, "STUPEFY!" Lucius didn't even have a chance to turn around before he collapsed in a heap on the floor. Severus was panting hard as he then pointed his wand towards Riona. "You. . ." he muttered.  
  
Riona's wand was ready. This was it; this was the final fight. "Expelliarmus!" they both shouted. The spells clashed and formed a 'bomb' of sorts. The ball of magic exploded in midair splitting the ground, and causing a black void to open between them. "DIE SEVERUS, YOU FILTHY MUDBLOOD!" Riona shrieked. "AVA---"  
  
Severus made the final interjection. "AVADA KEDAVERA!" he screamed. A blinding flash of green, cruel light erupted from the tip of his wand and blasted Riona right in the heart. She screamed a blood curdling scream before falling into the infinite void.  
  
Severus stood in disbelief for a few moments before he was finally able to move again. He felt a strange sense of. . . satisfaction. Lucius moaned behind his as he was just now regaining consciousness. Severus' mouth turned up at the corners as he forcefully kicked Lucius into the void. "It's all over now. . ." he said to himself. There was nothing left of the Orb now. Everything was gone. In a way, he helped the Order prevent the Dark Lord from gaining ultimate power. . . but at what expense? He was all alone now. Orion wasn't even his son. An unexplainable feeling soon set into Severus and he vowed to never come back to this place again. He took at deep breath and stared into the black void for one last time.  
  
As he turned to leave, he looked carefully at the spot where Riona had been standing. There was a shiny, metallic speck on the floor. "Accio, silver!" he called. The glittery speck floated through the air and into his hands. It was Riona's wedding ring. On the inside, the promise of his love was still engraved, "Always and Forever." Without a second thought, he tossed the ring into the void and in doing so, closed the door on that life forever.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
THE END 


End file.
